All Canadian football teams have their own unique history, with some teams dating back to the late 1800s. Check out the CFL teams list below for a complete rundown of all CFL teams in the league today. Be sure to check out all our CFL betting resources from CFL preseason odds to the Grey Cup odds, plus all the latest CFL team news!
2025 CFL Teams List
Here is the current list of Canadian football league teams for the 2025 season. You can check out each team in more detail by clicking on their name below:
| CFL Team Name | Logo | Division | Year Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC Lions |  | West | 1954 |
| Calgary Stampeders |  | West | 1945 |
| Edmonton Elks |  | West | 1949 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders |  | West | 1910 (1) |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers |  | West | 1930 (2) |
| Montreal Alouettes |  | East | 1946 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats |  | East | 1950 (3) |
| Ottawa Redblacks |  | East | 2014 (4) |
| Toronto Argonauts |  | East | 1873 |
2. The Winnipegs and St. John’s team merged in 1930 and become known as the “Winnipeg Pegs” before changing to the Blue Bombers in 1937.
3. Created in 1950 as a merger between the Hamilton Tigers (founded in 1869 as the Hamilton Football Club) and the Hamilton Wildcats (founded in 1941).
4. Includes all Ottawa clubs including the previous Rough Riders (1876–1996) and Renegades (2002–2006).
How many CFL teams are there?
The CFL is currently made up of nine teams, with four teams belonging to the East Division and five teams in the West Division.
Canadian Football League Teams
Below, you can find more detail about each team in the league today including how many championships each team has won plus prominent players from each franchise.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have long been a force within the West Division of the Canadian Football League. With the most Grey Cup Championship game appearances in league history at 29, the Blue Bombers are always a threat to go deep into the postseason.
After starting off as the Winnipeg Football Club in 1887, the current day Blue Bombers got their start in 1930 when the Winnipeg team merged with St. Johns to form the “Winnipeg Pegs”. The Pegs would later be renamed the Blue Bombers in 1937.
In their long history there has been a number of tremendous talents that have worn a Blue Bombers jersey including Milt Stegall, Doug Brown, and Dieter Brock to name a few.
Winnipeg has 12 Grey Cup wins with their last coming in 2021.
Toronto Argonauts
The Argos are the current Grey Cup champions. They are the oldest CFL franchise with the most success and are therefore the pinnacle of the Canadian Football League. While they may be overshadowed by some of the other major teams within the city such as the Raptors, Blue Jays, and Maple Leafs, this hasn’t stopped the Argos from producing winning seasons.
With a CFL record 19 Grey Cup victories, the Argonauts are unquestionably the top franchise in league history. Having been founded in 1873, the Argos have been a Canadian sports mainstay for over a century.
In this time the Argonauts have been home to some of the top players in league history such as Michael “Pinball” Clemmons, Joe Krol, and Danny Nykoluk.
Montreal Alouettes
The only team representing French Canada, the Montreal Alouettes have a decorated history within the Canadian Football League. They own an expansive trophy case, having racked up eight Grey Cup wins in their franchise history.
Possessing a never say die mantra, the Alouettes have folded as a club and been revived twice since their original inception in 1946, with their current iteration kicking off in 1996. In that time, the Alouettes have seen several tremendous athletes come through their doors including Anthony Calvillo, Ben Cahoon, and Peter Dalla Riva.
BC Lions
Playing out of Vancouver, British Columbia, the BC Lions are one of the longest standing teams in the CFL. Making their CFL debut in 1954, the Lions have found no shortage of success. To date they’ve won the Western Division 10 times, and have racked up six Grey Cup victories in the process.
Some of the top players to ever don the orange and black include Geroy Simon, Brent Johnson, and Jamie Taras.
Ottawa Redblacks
After joining the list of CFL teams in 2014, the Ottawa Redblacks quickly built a reputation for themselves within the Canadian Football League. The Ottawa franchise has seen two other variations in the league’s history, with the Ottawa Rough Riders (1876-1996) and Ottawa Renegades (2002-2006) that both folded. While they share historical stats, they are regarded as individual clubs in the CFL.
The Redblacks got off to a hot start after joining the CFL, having claimed a Grey Cup victory in just their third season in the league, defeating the Stampeders in the process. Since that time the Redblacks have failed to regain the same momentum, but could be due for another deep playoff run in the near future.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Arguably the most popular team within the CFL historically, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are a proud group with a diehard fanbase. With its inception dating back to 1910, the Roughriders are synonymous with the Canadian Football League.
As the only pro sports team out of Saskatchewan, the Roughriders always sport a full house, with a loud crowd that loves to let their feelings be heard. While the Roughriders are one of the oldest teams within the CFL, they have rarely been able to find success on the big stage.
Having only won four Grey Cups in 19 appearances, the Roughriders hold the distinction for having the worst Grey Cup win-percentage of any active franchise. With talents such as Ron Lancaster, Roger Aldag, and George Reed having come through their organization, it’s hard to believe they were unable to capture more championship seasons.
Calgary Stampeders
Founded in 1945, the Calgary Stampeders have found no shortage of success. To date, this CFL team has claimed eight Grey Cup victories in their history, meaning the Stampeders are always in the mix when it comes to the top CFL teams in the West Division.
There have been several star players to suit up for the Stampeders in their CFL careers including Willie Burden, Mark McLoughlin, and Allen Pitts, each having won immense success in their Calgary tenures.
Edmonton Elks
A mainstay of the CFL landscape, the Edmonton Elks (formerly Eskimos), have been among the dominant on the CFL teams list since their inception. With 14 Grey Cup wins, the Elks have cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the CFL.
While the Elks haven’t made their way back to the promised land since 2015, this hasn’t stopped their rabid fans from supporting this squad. With a rich history full of team success, it’s just a matter of time before the Elks find themselves back on the mountain top in the Canadian Football League.
The top players to ever line up for the Elks include Warren Moon, Ricky Ray, and Ed Jones, as well as countless other superstars that have proudly worn the green and gold.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
One of two teams hailing from the Greater Toronto Area, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been a constant fixture in the CFL. With an impressive team history that dates back to 1950, with its original roots going well beyond that in 1869 as the Hamilton Football Club, the Ti-Cats are no strangers to success.
While they previously claimed eight Grey Cup victories, the Ti-Cats have struggled in the new millennia and failed to compile a championship season since 1999. The Ti-cats are the only current CFL team to have not won the Grey Cup since 2000, with their devoted fans hungrier than ever to capture the league’s top prize.
While they haven’t had a ton of recent success, they have still had competitive teams filled with top talents. Some of the best players in Ti-Cat history include Bernie Faloney, Angelo Mosca, and Ben Zambiasi.
CFL Standout Players Through History
In its long, rich history, the CFL has produced some of the best players to ever grace the gridiron. With a wide range of athletes who have dominated in Canada, players who have been successful in both the CFL and NFL, as well as those turned coaches or broadcasters, there’s no shortage of talent to look back on in this league.
A few of the top talents the league has seen include the all-time touchdown leader Milt Stegall, all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader Anthony Calvillo, and the most-rushing yards in a career in Mike Pringle.
While the CFL can sometimes be looked at as a B+ player when compared to the NFL, there have been a number of players who have excelled on both CFL teams and in the NFL. Some of these players include Doug Flutie, Joe Theismann, Warren Moon, Cameron Wake, Andre Rison, and Joe Horn.
CFL Teams List FAQs
As of the 2025 season, there are nine CFL teams, with four teams in the East Division, and five teams in the West Division. There have been several other teams that have played in the CFL, but are now defunct such as the Ottawa Renegades/Rough Riders, Memphis Mad Dogs, Baltimore Stallions, Las Vegas Posse, and several others.
No, there are currently not any American teams in the CFL. However, there have been several American teams in the CFL history including the Baltimore Stallions who won the Grey Cup in 1995.
The oldest CFL team is the Toronto Argonauts football club which was founded in 1873.